domenica 17 aprile 2011

The Barracudas «Drop Out» [1981]

The principle of heterogenesis of purpose is powerful and unpredictable. It refers to the unintentional consequences of intentional actions. Imagine a US mid-westerner who is concerned for the future of his offspring, votes Republican at the presidential elections on the base of that concern, only to elect G.W. Bush who will send his son to die in a bloody oil war. That's the scary side of it.

In my case, it helped me discover an awesome band. Last summer i was at a music festival in a small hilltop village. It was getting rather windy and kind of cold, and my 2-year old daughter was shivering in her pushchair. I had to do something. Then i bumped into a T-shirt stand run by a middle-age couple of frikkettoni, the Italian word for hippies and tree huggers.

I was immediately attracted by a striking purple T-shirt with a yellow print of a long fish and the words The Barracudas. It was love at first sight. The vendors complimented me for my choice (they were talking bout the music), and i wore the T-shirt straight away, covering my daughter with the long-sleeved shirt i had on until then.

As soon as i got the chance i googled the name of the band, to discover they are the epitome of the most laid back subgenre of rock and roll: surf punk. Gone the NO FUTURE attitude of the late seventies, surf punk is all about getting the most out of here and now. Summer Fun is the opening track of the album and the most famous hit of the band. I think that says it all.